New service to help cancer battlers living on the Fylde coast

Follow-up care for cancer patients living on the Fylde coast is being over-hauled as part of a new initiative.
Jessica Jones, Macmillan Clinical Transformation LeadJessica Jones, Macmillan Clinical Transformation Lead
Jessica Jones, Macmillan Clinical Transformation Lead

The ‘Living With and Beyond Cancer’ programme aims to help people from the point of diagnosis to help them cope better.

Macmillan clinical transformation lead Jessica Jones, said: “It is great news that more people are living longer and surviving cancer, but unfortunately not everyone with cancer is living well.

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Patients and their carers can struggle with trying to get the information and support they need.

“Many have problems with the after-effects of cancer and have difficulties in getting back to work.

“Our aim is to make sure patients know who to contact should they have any problems, and where to get the help and information they need to live a healthier lifestyle.”

Jessica, who was worked in her charity-funding role since May, said her job is to bring in new plans to help to transform the care of cancer patients all overBlackpool, Fylde, and Wyre.

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She said: “One of the objectives of the programme is to implement a ‘recovery package’ across all tumour groups.

“The recovery package is a set of key interventions, which when delivered together at end of treatment, can improve the outcomes and co-ordination of care for patients.

“The aim is to give patients concrete steps to take as they get back to normal after cancer treatment, and to ensure patients can find out where to get help if needed.”

Patients will also be given the chance to attend health and wellbeing events, and be offered a more tailored approach.

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Jessica added: “It will enbable low-risk patients to self-manage their care and take back control. Patients will have rapid access back into the specialist team should this be needed.

“I have been learning from several other trusts and have seen how the recovery package and risk-stratified pathways benefit patients requiring cancer follow-up.”

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